FORMER ADDICTS' TALE QUESTIONED

THE EDITOR:

That was an interesting and well-articulated letter from I. E. Hawksworth
of Abbotsford ['Former addicts says methadone not the answer,' Times
Letters, Feb. 14].

The writer claims to speak about needle exchange centres and methadone
clinics from the splendid vantage point of being a recovered user of heroin
and many other drugs for many years.

The writer describes how addicts would wait outside a methadone clinic
until someone came out with a "take home" supply of methadone when it would
be bought for $1 a milligram.

I certainly would not want that kind of clinic in my neighbourhood.

The writer also describes picking up the needles discarded by addicts so
they could be exchanged for a fresh batch from the needle exchange clinic.

Then the needles would be sold to other addicts for $2 each.

"Fifty needles was $100," Hawksworth wrote - enough to feed the writer's
own habit.

I wonder where Hawksworth found a nurse stupid enough to provide a supply
of needles. I think they dole out just one at a time.

I am diabetic and if I could drop into a needle exchange for a fresh supply
of 100 needles [the amount I buy every month or so] it would save me some
money.

Not a lot of money.

My drug store will sell me 100 needles for $29.99, less than 30 cents each.

These are the same needles addicts use. I don't know where Hawksworth was
selling them for $2 each, but I guess drug addicts tend to be a little slow.

I find Hawksworth's account of addicts forcing themselves to vomit up a
dose of methadone they did not need quite interesting.

Somehow - and it may be that I am just naive - but I doubt the claim that
some addicts would drink the vomit of other addicts to get a methadone high.

I thought I'd phone Hawksworth to ask about these experiences, but I could
not find a listing in the telephone directory.

Is it possible this person does not exist?

Could it be that the entire letter was made up by some ignoramus trying
desperately to interefere with the government's addiction services program?

Did one of your editors contact the writer to verify the story, or are they
just as gullible as those nurses Hawksworth says provided an unlimited
supply of free needles?

Perhaps you could have reporter Christina Toth - who seems quite
knowledgeable about drug users, methadone clinics and needle exchanges -
check out any letters on these subjects that come across your desk.

Douglas Sagi

Abbotsford

Editor's note: The authorship of all letters published in the Times is
verified - including this one.